One Step Closer

Kenny Neal | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 22, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Telarc
• ASIN: B00005JH7F
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #131,001 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. No More One More Chance

2. Remedy

3. Loves Will

4. Walk Out In The Rain

5. One Step Closer To The Blues

6. Hidden In Plain Sight

7. High On A Hilltop

8. Back Door Tipper

9. Congo Square

10. You Care

11. Whiskey Tears

12. She Ain't Happy Unless She's Sad

Editorial Reviews

One Step Closer (CD Album) by Kenny Neal - 12 Tracks : 1. No More One More Chance, 2. Remedy, 3. Lovers Will, 4. Walk Out The Rain, 5. One Step Closer To The Blues, 6. Hidden In Plain Sight, 7. High On A Hilltop, 8. Back Door Tipper, 9. Congo Square, 10. You Care, 11. Whiskey Tears, 12. She Ain't Happy Unless She's Sad - Total Playing Time 57:05 - Kenny Neal (vocals, lead, rhythm and slide guitars, harmonica), Denny Breau (rhythm guitar) , Mary Jo Carlsen (violin) , Andrea Re (backup vocals, percussion) , Jason Ward (baritone saxophone) , T-Bone Wolk (bass, mandolin, accordion), Darren Thiboutot (drums) - Produced by Randy Labbe

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kenny Neal's third Telarc album is his most diverse yet, July 16, 2005

By 

Docendo Discimus (Vita scholae) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Step Closer (Audio CD)

Not a blues record per se, "One Step Closer" mixes blues, R&B, soul, folk and rock n' roll, and T-Bone Wolk's mandolin and the acoustic violin of Mary Jo Carlsen add a rootsy folk-like atmosphere on several songs.
But Kenny Neal still sings like he is singing the blues. His voice is getting rougher and grittier with every new release, but it still retains its wonderful flexibility and soulfulness. To me, he has evolved into one of the best contemporary American blues and/or rock singers...he is that good.

And "One Step Closer" is really good as well. Unlike Neal's previous albums it relies very heavily on covers...only two of these twelve songs are written or co-written by Kenny Neal himself, and that worries me a bit. His songwriting skills used to be one of his biggest assets, but here you only find one solo composition from his hand...and it's not even all that great. Hopefully he hasn't spent his muse.

Still, these are generally very well chosen covers. The opener, "No More One More Chance", is the kind of blues-rock-soul fusion which Neal himself used to write, and he does very well by John Hiatt on an acoustic "Lovers Will".
Other highlights include the soulful "One Step Closer To The Blues", the blues "Back Door Tipper", and most notably a magnificent rendition of Bob Dylan's and Helena Spring's soulful slow rock number "Walk Out In The Rain", which was originally written for Eric Clapton. Neal's expressive voice is perfect for that song, and his is by far the best and grittiest version ever recorded. (Dylan never recorded it himself.)

I could have done without a remake of Sonny Landreth's "Congo Square", and a couple of other songs don't hold up too well either, but most of what's here is very good. I only wish Kenny Neal would have penned a few more songs himself.
If you're new to Raful Neal's son Kenny, I'd start with his best Alligator album, "Hoodoo Moon", but fans will definitely want this one in their collection as well. It's just about as good as his previous Telarc record, "What You Got", and better than his first, "Blues Fallin' Down Like Rain".

4.0 out of 5 stars The title says it all, July 29, 2001

By 

"pjmalek" (Mead, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Step Closer (Audio CD)

Kenny is One Step Closer to becoming one of the best contemporary N'awlins blues artists. This is a hard-hitting release that jumps off the CD with a kick-in-the-butt. Kenny's roots come out strong, including the funky squeeze box in the background. But he takes the Bayou-style blues one step closer to contemporary blues-rock music, and has a great album on his hands. Lookin for the next one....

5.0 out of 5 stars masterpiece, July 15, 2001

By 

Howard Teitel (nyc) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: One Step Closer (Audio CD)

ive been a fan since the beginning and this cd is great, when i first put the cd on i was blown away. every song is great the cd is more laid back with great vocal and lyrics. my fav song is a rockin tune called "whiskey train". great cover of bob dylans "walk out in the rain". very enjoyable cd